As far as consumable items go, cheese can be one of the more confusing. Let’s face it – cheese is, at it’s essence, curdled milk – which begs the question, how can something that started as curdled milk end up tasting so delicious? Many cheeses, like wine, only become better with age – while others should be gobbled up in their youth. What is the difference between “good” mold and “bad” mold and how can you tell the difference? Are “raw” cheeses (cheeses made with unpasteurized milk) safe to eat? How was cheese discovered, anyway? What makes cheese stinky?Can you eat cheese if you’re lactose intolerant?

Cheese is an anomaly within the world of food. Unlike other consumable products, cheese rarely comes with an exact “expiration date”. Like all living things, cheeses have a life cycle of their own. In their youth they are firm, fresh, fluffy, moist. As they age, the flavors often become more robust, they may begin to “puff”, as is the case for surface ripened cheeses like Camembert. As cheese continues to age, flavors can become more piquant, softer cheeses may become runnier, cheddar’s lose their moisture and become drier, and the life cycle draws to a close. However, there is no exact time-line to follow. For some cheeses like Parmesan, a cut piece of cheese can last for a year, while a fresh chevre is best consumed as soon as possible.

Molds are another perplexity for many. How can you figure a good mold from a bad mold? The “good” molds are the molds that help to develop and protect cheese, and often lend integral characteristics to a cheeses look and flavor. The fluffy white camembert’s wouldn’t exist without penicillium candidum – the mold that lends camembert its snowy appearance. Blue cheese wouldn’t be blue cheese without adding penicillium roqueforti. The “bad” molds are molds that were not an intended addition to the cheese. Blue molds, for instance, can “jump” on to other cheeses – not a desirable trait for every cheese. (There are, however, exceptions – such as British Cheddars that often develop a natural bluing with age – or cheeses that use a geotricum candidum mold, like piper’s pyramid, bijou, or crottin di Chavignol).

Are raw cheeses safe? I would answer that with a resounding Yes! Not only are they safe, they are often the most flavorful cheeses you’ll find. Delicious Alpine styles, blues, farmhouse cheddars, all become more powerful, more pronounced when made with raw milk. It is currently illegal to sell any cheese aged less than 60 days that has been made with raw milk – so you can be sure that your bries’ and fresh chevres’ and mozzarellas’ have all been pasteurized.

So there – you’ve had a little sample bit of cheese information. If these questions and more have been eating you up inside, join myself and my fellow cheese mongers next Monday, January 25th, for Cheese 101. We’ll cover cheese topics ranging from history to styles of cheese to helping you navigate the cheese counter with confidence and ease. Plus, there will be cheese samples. Lot’s of cheese samples. Need I say more? Call the shop at 708-725-7200 to reserve your space today – or sign up in person with one of our retail associates – Looking forward to seeing lot’s of cheese loving folks there!

-Norine, cheesemonger